Nutrition News: Healthy eating on a budget

Thursday

Apr 10, 2014 at 11:39 AMApr 10, 2014 at 11:40 AM

By Charlyn FargoCreators Syndicate

It really is possible to eat healthy and stick to a budget, says Erin Huffstetler, frugal living expert for about.com. She recommends skimping on processed foods and heading back into the kitchen with ingredients. “Go for whole foods — whole grains,” she said. “They are so much better for you than processed. Buy ingredients instead of finished products. With processed foods, you are paying for the packaging and labor.”Her No. 1 tip for saving money? “Cook from scratch.”And if you don’t know how to cook or have no confidence, jump online to find a video to help you learn. Here are a few other tips from Erin:1. Buy reduced produce. It’s no secret that fruits and vegetables are good for you, but the price of fresh produce isn’t nearly as good for your budget. To stretch your shopping dollars, look for a reduced rack at the grocery store. You can often pick up ripe produce for a fraction of the regular price.2. Go frozen. Frozen vegetables are usually fresher and cheaper than anything that can be found in the produce and canned sections of the store. The freezer aisle offers big bags of veggies at bargain prices — sometimes as little as $1 a bag.3. Shop locally. Your local produce stand or farmers market can be a great source for healthy bargains. For the best deals, shop often and look for reduced produce or end-of-the-day specials.4. Grow your own. Start a plot in your backyard or a container garden on your patio, and enjoy homegrown fruits and vegetables all season long. Like fresh herbs? Grow your favorites in small pots by the kitchen window, and take a snip whenever you need it.5. Find a coupon. Look beyond the Sunday papers to produce companies such as Earth Bound or Driscoll. Their newsletters often offer coupons for fresh fruits and vegetables. Also look for ads online and digital coupons.6. Browse throughout the store. Some of the wine companies have begun partnering with meat companies with coupons; cereal companies often have coupons for fruit. 7. Go with a list. It’s OK to be flexible if there’s a better deal, but try to buy what you need rather than what simply is appealing.Q and AQ: I’d like to eat more whole grains, but I need to limit sodium, and many are surprisingly high in sodium. What do you suggest?A: One easy way to get whole grains is with breads and cereals, though whether whole grain or not, these do often contain high amounts of sodium. So, to keep sodium in check, try expanding your vision of whole grains to less-processed options. Compare labels to find lower sodium options like old-fashioned or one-minute oatmeal rather than instant, and shredded wheat rather than higher-sodium types of cereals. Instead of prepared whole-grain mixes, like boxed seasoned brown rice, that include large amounts of sodium (some contain about 500 mg of sodium per serving), choose plain, unseasoned whole grains (0 mg sodium) and add your own herbs, lemon juice and other sodium-free flavorings. Some whole grains that cook in less than 15 minutes include bulgur, quick-cooking brown rice, whole-wheat couscous, quinoa and whole-grain pasta. Try wild rice, millet, barley, wheat berries, amaranth and freekeh (“free-kuh”) when you have more time. If some of these grains are unfamiliar to you, check the Whole Grains Council website or recipes from the American Institute for Cancer Research for ideas. — Information courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer ResearchRecipeHere’s a recipe for Root Vegetable Minestrone with Bacon that fits healthy eating on a budget from Cooking Light magazine — it’s $2.45 per serving.ROOT VEGETABLE MINESTRONE WITH BACON• 5 center-cut bacon slices, chopped• 1 1/3 cups chopped peeled butternut squash• 1 cup chopped onion• 2/3 cup chopped carrot• 1/2 cup chopped parsnip• 1/2 cup chopped celery• 4 t unsalted tomato paste• 1/2 t dried basil• 1/2 t dried thyme• 3 garlic cloves, minced• 2 2/3 cups unsalted chicken stock• 1/4 cup uncooked ditalini pasta• 3/4 cup unsalted cannellini beans, rinsed and drained• 1/4 t kosher salt• 1/4 t black pepperCook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; reserve 1 T drippings in pan. Increase heat to medium-high. Add butternut squash and next eight ingredients (through garlic) to drippings in pan; saute 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken stock, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in uncooked pasta; cook 10 minutes. Stir in cannellini beans, salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes or until vegetables and pasta are tender. Divide soup evenly among four bowls; top evenly with bacon. Serves four (serving size 1 1/2 cups).Per serving: 202 calories, 11.5 g protein, 33.7 carbohydrates, 3.3 g fat, 9 mg cholesterol, 6.4 g fiber, 426 mg sodium.Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian from Springfield, Ill. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @NutritionRD.

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